Help! Worried Changes in Eating

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Tauntz

Tauntz

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Joined
Jan 19, 2012
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Location
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I have two sister does. Tonight as I was giving them their treats, my Hope did not come running nor did she eat anything I tried to give her. This is totally unlike my little Hope. I'm going to call the vet & try to get her there first thing in the morning. I'm so worried. After she turned up her nose to all of her favorite goodies, I didn't know what to do other than let her be so as not to stress her. Is there anything I can do? I have been in the hospital & just getting back trying to get things back to our routine & getting cages cleaned. Faith ate her Romaine lettuce salad, a couple of treat Craisins & a banana sliver I was trying to entice Hope with. They have been eating their hay & pellets well. Since I've been home I've spent most of my time taking my medication & sleeping & haven't been able to spend time with Faith & Hope as I did before my hospitalization. Any advice? I am so worried & can't do anything until our vet is open in the morning. Please pray for Hope to be okay. I'm sorry I love my bunny girls & I don't know what to do. Any advice & prayer for my Hope is much appreciated. Oh, until tonight she has had a good appetite. Always running to get her goodies. I hand feed them everything but their hay & the pellets after I've given them a few by hand. I just don't know what to do until I can get her into the vet & so worried until I do.
 
How is your bunny today? For future reference sometimes a belly rub can help if its gas but it can sometimes be better to let them rest. Hope everything went well xxx
 
Thank you for your reply post! She is still laying in her box. I don't think she has ate anything. Normally my two buns would be laying together but she is staying in her box alone. I just called my vet & he is off today. Don't know the other vets there or how well they know bunnies. They said they would work us in. I didn't think to ask if I should bring both together or just Hope.
 
If they are bonded you will want to bring both in together. It sounds like she has GI stasis. Often it is caused by something in the diet, but it can also be caused by other health problems. You want to make sure the vet checks whether or not it its a complete blockage, before giving meds and instructions for hand feeding, as that can have serious consequences. Usually the meds you should get are a gut stimulant, a pain med like metacam, and critical care syringe feeding mix. You can also give otc baby gas drops, as that will help too if this is being caused by gas. Also the vet needs to do a thorough check for other health problems in case there is another cause. Sometimes this can just be caused by them eating a weed or something in the hay, or having a bad reaction to a veggie, and usually in a few hours they are fine. So this might just be the case for her. Letting her hop around a lot will help get the gut contents moving, as well as tummy massages. You do want to make sure she stays warm as well, as their body temp often drops when this happens and they need to be warm to eat. I hope your vet visit goes well and she is feeling better soon.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
 
Where do you live? It says South but that doesn't help! I live around one of the best rabbit vets, Dr. Hreiz. He's amazing. If you live in SC or NC and are close enough, he's really great!
But then something in my brain tells me you live in Florida and thats a little too far to come to my vet. LOL

I hope Hope gets better soon and you can see a vet! Jenny always has really good advice for stasis issues! She's a pro.
 
Thank you all for your replies! I was able to get them to our vet clinic. Yes, it is a digestive issue. The vet is keeping them both in side by side cages & checking the poop. She had some gas. Please keep Hope & Faith in prayer. I love them so much & I just want them to be healthy, happy & back home. I should know something by 4 PM my time.

Oh, I'm in SC near Columbia. I appreciate any helpful info & vet recommendations.

Thank you all & thank you for your prayers/good thoughts for Hope & Faith.
 
If you're near Columbia, you're only like 1.5 hours from me. Thats sort of a long drive, but when it comes to good rabbit vets, is there really a too long drive?
My rabbit vet is:
Dr. Jay Hreiz at Ebenezer Animal Hospital.
2445 Ebenezer Rd
Rock Hill, SC 29732
803-366-1950
He's an ARBA judge, ELop owner and he specializes in small exotic animals. Plus, I think he's pretty respected in the rabbit breeding/showing community.

He spayed my last rabbit. She didn't make it out of anesthesia but not because of him. He tried for 10 minutes to give her mouth to mouth and bring her back, but her heart just stopped. If thats not dedication to your craft, I don't know what is. He was also really really nice.
 
It is best to get her to the vet now, take both of them so they can provide each other comfort.

What I do if a bun isn't wanting to eat is force feed them right away. I have a large, 35cc syringe. I mix up some Critical Care and give about a syringe full. I also get them moving around and give some tummy rubs. This usually gets them back on tract and they are back to normal pretty quick. Rabbits can go downhill so fast, it is good to be able to do something quickly. If they still aren't eating, then a vet visit is needed, but I have found most will get back to eating within a few hours. It won't hurt to force feed.
 
Thank you, Morgan! I'm going to print this info up so I have it for future reference.

Thanks, Korr & Sophie, they are both at my vet clinic being monitored & treated. I should know more around 4 PM this afternoon. Praying that they are both doing okay. I appreciate your advice. Thank you & everyone for their advice & help. I'm so worried.
 
Thanks, Morgan! Yes, I can't stop worrying. If I haven't heard by 4 PM my time I'm to call to get an update. Will post updates here when I have them. I appreciate everyone's advice, help & prayers for my Hope.

Oh, where do you purchase the Critical Care? Also, is there a bunny emergency kit with a list of things to keep in the bunny emergency kit? I'm still learning & wish I was better prepared bunny knowledgewise & with a bunny emergency kit. Any bunny emergency training videos available that I have missed? I feel like such an idiot not being prepared for my bunnies in a health emergency. I pray that they will be okay & that I can be a better bunny mom. I'm still sick myself & having to take so much medication & rest that I haven't been a good bunny mom.
 
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Just called to check with the vet. So far no poop or food intake from Hope so they want to keep her overnight with Faith in side by side cages. They are treating her with Reglan & I can't remember what else to help get her gut moving. I'm so worried!!!! I'm glad she has Faith & Faith has her there for company for each other but I miss them terribly & am so worried. Please keep my little buns in prayer. I love them so much. It has me worried having to keep them overnight. The vet thinks it may be a hairball since I was in the hospital I did not have anyone to brush them only provide them with their hay, pellets & fresh water daily.
 
Thank you, Elise! I so appreciate all prayers for my sweet little Hope. I'm so very worried about both of them. They've never been away from our home until now. Everything was fine with everyone until I went into the hospital & got home. I'm on so much medication I've neglected them except food & water. I pray they will both be okay. I love them so.
 
Quick update: I will be picking BOTH Hope & Faith up from the vet clinic shortly. They will be sending me home with some medications to give both, I think. Will know more when I go to get them. I'm trying to come up with a way to divide the xpen they share so that they can still see each other but each have their own side with their own litter box, water bowls, hay & food dishes so I can monitor each bunny to make sure each one is eating, drinking & pooping like they should. Any suggestions with an xpen see-through divider is appreciated. Actually any suggestions are appreciated! I just want my bunny girls to be well & stay well & happy! Thank you all for your prayers, good thoughts & advice!!!! You guys are awesome!
 
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I'm glad to hear your girls are doing well enough to come home. It is so hard when you have to worry about your own health, then your pets' health, too. They will understand, I am sure. Please keep us all updated, & I am praying for all of you.

Could you divide the x-pen into 2 segments using NICs & cable ties? Or, could you wedge a baby-gate in-between?
 
Thank you for those great ideas!!!!! Think I will see if I can find an inexpensive baby gate or if not maybe those NICs & cable ties will work & not be too expensive. I want to do everything I can for my babies but realistically money is very tight. Haven't even discussed the bill for yesterday's office visit & then their overnight stay. Also, thank you so much for the prayers for all of us! I love my birds & buns but since I've been so sick & in the hospital everyone has not been getting the care that I would normally give them.
 
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